A Mother’s Wait: Sextuplets Can Be Welcomed Home In Two Months

Lauren and David Perkins, the couple who welcomed sextuplets in Texas, have yet to be offered a reality show it seems. But the family is struggling very publicly with the health of their newborn sons and daughters. While all the babies are reportedly improving “slowly but surely,” their parents will not be able to take them home from the hospital for another two months — a long wait for any new mother.

Five of the six newborns are presently on breathing tubes: Andrew, Benjamin, Levi, Caroline, and Allison. But little Leah is on a ventilator following bowel surgery. According to the Miami Herald, the heavies birth weight among them was a mere two pounds and 13 ounces. While the sextuplets need the following two months to build up their strength, doctors also want to keep the infants around to help them gain weight. They’re hoping the babies will be between four and five pounds when they are released.

The patient and optimistic mother told the paper:

“We are just thanking God every day for our babies and we are looking forward to bringing them home,” said Lauren Perkins, who worked as a school psychologist.

If all goes well, perhaps we can all look forward to a Fourth of July-themed family picnic photo.

My heart goes out to her. Our twins weighed in at 2 pounds 13 ounces and 2 pounds 11 ounces respectively. Our daughter, the elder of the pair, spent 69 days in the NICU. Her baby brother was there 112 days, making it home just in time for our first Chrstmas together 1 month after their due date.